QunFYI, I work for ESL TV, not ESL, so I don't have a lot of influence on the leagues. But I might be able to do a TF2 show in my free time.
Isn't Huhy working for ESL (or ESL TV) aswell?, you can both try and arrange something together and have a bigger chance of actually influenting on ESL.
Anyhow, your post really talked to me, and kind of added a couple of dreams aswell that one day, the big almighty ESL would try and pickup TF2...someday..maybe..(again).
Even though, I must say, ESEA is a wondeful example of a working system that could be vital for the sake of TF2, we don't have to run over to ESL for the cups and prizes, I know ESL is somewhat bigger, but ESEA is offering about the same things, a huge prize pot in the end of a season, seasonal LAN, and it's right here, and we can't afford to lose them.
ETF2L runs so great, and so awesome, that I hope someday it'll make the transition into PayToPlay, and perhaps grow bigger, and achieve the same things ESEA has to offer.
ETF2L is doing wonderful, and I believe that if ETF2L will make it a PayToPlay league, not so many people would abandon the league, we're used to getting everything for free here in Europe, so if ETF2L would make the brave move, the community would be bigger, will have more interest and will grow as an eSport, all together.